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Hi. I'm 36 and computer guy by trade in Indiana. I played trumpet for 8 years, played piano for one in High school, and then graduated with a Classical Studies Degree in college. Just started piano up again in January after almost 20 years off of music. I've started a group piano class with the University and had my first lesson with my new teacher last week for private lessons.

The reason I started back was a piano my wife bought so that she could start taking lessons (she has never played an instrument). The piano was a $100 and unplayable. I've told the story before, but I ended up working on the piano for two months tearing everything apart and putting it back together(straps, springs, dampers, felt, a broken hammer, etc), replaced some keytops, having it tuned, and just finished with some work to the outside. New piano bench, and presto...working piano. That was Christmas.

My wife is still deciding when to start her lessons. I sit down to show her a few things, and now I'm practicing an hour a night, and she's still deciding. But, we've been together for 17 years and she has always wanted to play. I suspect it will happen soon.

My name is Chrissi, I was born in Hamburg, Germany, where I still live (since 41 years, so guess how old I am ), for the last 13 years together with my common law spouse. He has two adult daughters whom I love very much. The younger one has a little daughter (1 ½ years old) herself, this is our little sweetheart. So I am grandma „honoris causa“.

I’m working at a big insurance company where I have been in the claim department until 2001. Because of a merger my job got in serious danger so I changed to the IT section where I now administrate a tool for Project management. Nothing famous, but ok.

My spouse and I love travelling, the biggest trip was to Australia in 1996 where I totally fell in love with Koala bears and wombats. We like the Canary Islands very much because of their perfect climate and only 4 ½ hrs flight time.

Music was always a part of my life. Together with my mother I listened to operas, my first real passion was ballroom dancing (did it until I was 24) and I sing along with almost every sort of music on the radio. But since I had a very bad experience with learning an instrument at the age of 8 or 9 (it was the flute, the teacher was mean and brought me to tears very often) I had lost my self-confidence already as a child.

Two years ago we joined a concert of a great Dixieland-band (all amateurs) and one of the members told me that he had started playing the sax at the age of 50 from scratch. That was the moment when I started thinking about learning an instrument myself. That turned out to be one of the best decisions in my life! My music and my piano give me such a joy I could never have imagined before. I dream of of having much more time to learn and play but lotto didn’t make me a millionaire until now and retirement is far away. So I try to do the best I can under the given circumstances.

Because English is not my native language it is not always easy for me to express my inner feelings in a written form but I want you to know that this place here is very precious to me. In real life I have no one to share my passion for piano with, except my teacher. I have never seen such a great place at the Internet before. So many friendly and helpful people, interesting personalities, serious discussions.

Chrissi

@Hunkster: Couldn’t you send me a pair of your cute little llama crias to Germany? Our garden is perhaps big enough and I can assure you: No rattlesnakes! (Do they like snow? At the moment our spring blossoms are all covered with huge amounts of it...)

OK, I am 51 years old and I was fascinated by the piano since I was 5 y.o.I bought my first piano only when I was 23 (it was a very very old Schiedmayer - Stutgard upright) and my dreams comes true when in the last September I finally bought my 27 y.o. used Kawai KG-3C grand.I am married but for work from monday to friday I live alone 130 km far away from my home and from my grand piano, I have also a 31 y.o. daughter that lives with her boyfriend 40 km far away from me.In the house where I live for work I have a digital piano (Clavinova CLP-280) because I could not live without playing the piano.My piano level is intermediate) My other hobbies are photography, chess but music (piano) is my life !Luigi

I am 43 years young and have 2 children, 2 beautiful boys who are 7 and 16 months old. I have been playing piano since October 2003.

After an argument with my wife about piano lessons for our 5 year old (she wanted him to start...I had bad memories of piano lessons when I was a child and didn't want him to go through the torture I remembered).This was an argument which (as usual) I lost...so, we/I bought a cheap casio unweighted piano for him to start with.

I started plunking around and the rest as they say is history...here I am totally addicted!!!

Now, I own a Yamaha CLP170 in polished ebony and a casio PX100 and I've not stopped buying yet (yesterday I ordered a Yamaha motif ES rack for the casio and am excitedly waiting for it to arrive!) the casio will be upgraded next...but, one day I will own a nice big grand piano too...oh yes!

My name is Dean. I am 28, grew up in Florida, and after 8 years in the mountains of North Carolina, I have been back to Florida for two years. I am 5 years married, with two dogs: a dachshund/beagle and an american bulldog. My bulldog's mug is currently displayed on the cover of Dog Fancy for April. She is the small corner picture, not the main picture. My wife and I took ball room dance lessons before Dancing with the Stars made it cool. I am an avid racquetball player, and would like to compete in tournaments sometime soon. I also like to watch tennis (always cheer for Andre Agassi), motocross, and hate to admit it, but I also follow NASCAR.

On to the piano....I took 9 years of lessons as a child/youth. I then took a 10 year break and have just recently decided that I want to get back into the swing of things... I am currently getting my fingers back up to par, and doing what I want to do. I am very interested in becoming more proficient in pop styles. My current plan is to get back to where I want to be, and in the next 2-3 years lock all my music in a safe and join Piano Magic. I currently play a lot out of the Billy Joel Keyboard Book, Elton John Keyboard Book, and every other book in that series. I like to sing when I play. Unfortunately, I sound a little bit like Kermit the Frog when I sing. My piano is a 12-14 year old Technics digital, that I got brand new when I was in high school. It has served me well, but I am starting to look for a new piano.

My turn…I’m 49, soon to be the dreaded 50[/b] in May… started lessons @ the age of 8, did the octave/chord thing for 5 yrs, then did the classical scene for 1 ½ yrs. Performed in the Grinnell’s piano recital in 69’. My piano at the time was a Janssen upright that my Dad bought when he got out of the army in 45’. Was in band-played drums and baritone. Played drums in a drum-n-bugle corp. for a few yrs too. Then came girls & cars…Raced on a drag car team for 3 yrs…Ramcharger Hemi ‘Cuda SS/DA, raced go karts, enduro motorcycles, crewed on a Formula Ford for a few years, snowmobiled and started to restore an antique car – K3 Allard. Oh yea, played golf when I could . Meet my wife in 88’ (blind date), married in 90’…no kids . Started playing more golf, but piano was still on the back burner. Piano ended up in the back room till we had an addition put on in 00’, then moved it out in the front room…that’s when I started back playing. Went to a couple of friends homes and played their pianos and I said to myself … ”self…if they can have one and their just starting, you deserve one.” MY WIFE piped up and said…’your piano’s out in the garage (read K3 Allard…not finished) DO SOMETHING WITH IT!!! So I tried to get up enough energy to finish, all the while looking at new grand pianos, but the drive to finish the Allard was gone. In my “networking” for pianos, I came across a co-worker that restores Hammond B3’s, he takes his cabinets to a Master Tech that restores pianos…took me to his shop…but I still needed the almighty $$. He also introduced me to some local talent, Mr. B- Mark Lincoln Braun and Bob Seely, both blues and boogie woogie players…I was hooked. In the spring of 05’ all the stars aligned and I found a buyer for the Allard …and the piano Master Tech that was just finishing up a restoration on a 1919 M&H A. Found the PW site while looking for piano information and have enjoyed the company ever since. Started back to lessons in Jan of 06’, trying to change my playing style.

Ok, I'm 47 years old. I grew up in southern Nevada but have now lived in Pennsylvania for almost 21 years. I am a CPA but also a stay-at home mom of 10 kids, 6 boys and 4 girls, ages 4 to 24. The oldest two are married and I will soon be a grandma. Our 8th is ten years old and has Down syndrome, so that is also a whole new adventure. We also just found out she has celiac disease, so now we are learning how to feed her a gluten-free diet.

I have a wonderful husband who encourages me to develop my talents and even lets me spend money on them! I have done some photography, read a lot about nutrition, spent a couple of years teaching myself Access programming, I am involved with computer-generated pattern-making software and sewing (I designed and made my new daughter-in-law's wedding dress--complete with machine embroidery I designed, pearl beading, etc.), and now piano. I also read a lot--I love Terry Pratchett's books, Wheel of Time, Tony Hillerman, Isaac Asimov, Agatha Christie, and many others. Plus lots of non-fiction.

I played clarinet from grade school up into college. I took a couple of years of piano in high school, but did not practice much and never got out of the beginner stuff. I have always sung in church choir whereever we have lived.

Almost two years ago, our church choir director asked me to help her do her accounting (she teaches 65 piano students, plus sells Mary Kay big time). I did not want her to pay me, so she offered to teach my daughter piano. She starts the little kids out with Suzuki, so I was sitting with my daughter for all her practices. Within a few months, I asked if I could have lessons, too. I worked through Suzuki book 1 during the two weeks we drove out west for our two boys' weddings at Christmas 2004, and started lessons right after we got home. I get discouraged sometimes, but I love it! I'm looking for a new piano, hoping for a grand I like and can afford.

I mostly like classical music, don't care for jazz, like Spanish music, Scott Joplin but not much else ragtime. I loved the first recital here--I still listen to the CDs I made--and I'm glad to get to know you all a little.

Hi, my name is Louise. I live in Québec (Canada) and I speak french... Sometime I use Google to help me traduce in english so excuse my errors writing english.

I have three kids : Audrey, Camille and Justin (5, 4 and 2 years old). I work full time at Bell Canada has a report/analysis (I work with excel all day long, but I like it !)

My husband play guitar since 2 years now and he is pretty good at it. He is also writing very nice songs.

I have took piano lessons when I was young (from the age of 8-9 to 12 years old) I have won a competition at the school Vincent D'Indy at this time. I quit when I turned 13 years old and I always regret it. I always said to my self that some day I would start again to play piano and I buy an old piano in september 2004 and start my piano lessons with a new teacher and I am very proud I found her, she is really a great teacher.

Beside working 40 hours a week and taking care of my family (90% of my time !!) the rest of my time is spend on the piano...

Hello everyone! I like cats. I'm 39 years old, and have lived in Jackson Hole, Wyoming for the last 15 years. I am happily married. I teach piano as my primary occupation, and rent a studio near the Town Square. My students are mainly children ages 6-18, but I do teach a handful of adults. Teaching is definitely my calling and I enjoy it (most of the time!)

My undergrad degree is in psychology, I have worked various front-line human services jobs over the years before teaching piano. Since I moved to Jackson in 1991, I have worked seasonally with people who have disablities at the Jackson Hole Mountain Resort as an Adaptive Ski Instructor. Today I am just part-time (an old-timer!!) I am a lifelong skier, both nordic and alpine, having grown up in Vermont.

In the summer I sail on lakes, and own a J-24 sailboat and a Hobie 16 catamaran, both vessels I cherish. I am a water person at heart, and enjoy whitewater rafting (I guided professionally for 6 years), kayaking, and canoeing.

Avid cyclist also...mountain & road.

I have played piano since I was a small child and always was drawn to it. The styles I play are mainly jazz, gospel, blues, funk, rock and boogie. I take weekly lessons with a incredible teacher. I enjoy playing classical music, but I have made a career out of playing the other styles and do not have time to really practice it as much as I would like. I play by ear and read music.

I like the AB forum because the you guys are really nice!

_________________________
"Those are my principles, and if you don't like them... well, I have others." Groucho Marx

I am 48 years old, married with 3 kids - a 14 year old boy, an 11 year old girl and my baby a just turned 7 with pretty severe ADHD.

I've lived in the suburns between Washington DC and Baltimore for 20 years. I work full time directing a large research project for the federal government. I have a doctorate in social psychology.

I never learned an instrument as a child. I always wanted to learn piano and a few years ago my MIL gave me the 40 some year old Hardman Peck upright her 6 kids had used for lessons (no one still plays!) It sat for a while and I finally got up my nerve to start lessons myself a little more than a year ago. It was slow going and highly frustrating in the beginning but just in the last few months it seems to be "clicking"

I'm just beginning my search for a new piano and intend to enjoy every minute of the search.

I love going to concerts and I power walk a couple miles most days - at 5 am.

I am 66 (I don't know how that happened because the last birthday I remember I was 23).

I started out working as a rocket propulsion engineer. I worked at Grumman on the first lunar landing and I was in a special room during the landing listening to the capsule communications with Armstrong and Aldrin and even played an important part when they thought they might have to take off immediately.

I left engineering and became a computer programmer. From there I became a CPA and from there I became an Attorney, although I do predominately accounting in my own practice. I work mostly out of the house but have an office in Manhattan. As I tell everyone, I haven't decided what I want to be when I grow up. But right now I think I have. I want to be a coctail pianist.

My mother was a piano teacher, my father was a an outstanding mandolin player and my brother played the clarinet.

I never progressed beyond the third grade Thompson method book when I was growing up. About 10 years ago I wanted to take up piano seriously. I could always read music but couldn't play too well. After a year of lessons with a teacher, and finding that I couldn't play any better than when I started, I decided to find a new teacher. I found a teacher across town in Manhattan that was unbelievable. He taught Peter Duchin how to play, and he taught me classical and popular for 5 years before retiring at the early age of 82.

After another teacher that I could not grow with I found an older man who allowed me to start improvising and in a short time I could play almost anything from a fake book. A couple of months ago he said there was nothing more he could teach me. I had always thought I needed a teacher to grow until I found this forum.

Luckily I found this forum and have learned a lot from everyone. I have been totally astonished at the playing of those who picked it up on their own and those who have been with Pianomagic. I called up Mike last month and as soon as tax season is over with I will sign up.

Hi all! I'm Andrew. But for 18 months in France the early '80s, I have always lived in Canada. Currently, I'm in Ottawa.

I work at the University of Ottawa teaching in a few courses, designing upper-level labs, playing with expensive toys of biological research, training/advising grad students and researchers on approaches/techniques and co-authoring the odd paper. As I'm not a prof so I don't get the big bucks (or headaches) but I love my job -imagine a science geek with access to all sorts of cells and equipment and chemicals. As long as a pedagogically useful experiment or a productive research approach comes out the other end, I'm pretty much free to play with equipment that is worth far more than I am! I'm also on our Hazmat team, where I get to dress up like the guys who tried to vivisect ET and find out "what's making that smell". :p

I'm 43, have been with my current mate for almost 12 years. We got married in her hometown in Nunavut last summer, where we went camping. we plan to move up there (Baker Lake) for a year or so when the kids (two boys 5 and 10) are older.

I used to ride a Honda Interceptor, play harmonica in bars, downhill ski and play tennis.

For the last few years though, my mate and I have mostly been looking after my parents (92 and 82)and the kids (more exhilarating and scarier than the 'ceptor).

I blame the Royal Conservatory of Music for almost killing my love of music (forced piano lessons from age 6-9), and credit Muddy waters and James Cotton for ressucitating it.

I'm currently becoming reacquainted with the piano since Sept 2005.

_________________________
Without music life would be a mistake -- Friedrich Nietzsche

I started out working as a rocket propulsion engineer. I worked at Grumman on the first lunar landing and I was in a special room during the landing listening to the capsule communications with Armstrong and Aldrin and even played an important part when they thought they might have to take off immediately.

I'm 57, have two adult children, 4 grandchildren and my husband and I have legal custody of our oldest grandson. I currently am recovering from a skiing accident (memo to self: in future, do not follow 15 year old grandson down side of mountain) and may require knee surgery shortly. We live in Missouri where I work in administration for a university. I took piano lessons as a child back in the 1950's. As an adult,I always wanted a piano but we were always moving, couldn't afford it, etc. Last summer, my husband decided that we should buy a piano. I argued that I didn't have time to play but he insisted saying that he knew that I would play. I do love my piano but the only time I manage to play is at night after everyone else is in bed (digitals with headphones are terrific for this).

I love cooking, reading and the ocean. I have a deposit on a week-long piano vacation in Feb. 07 on St. Eustatia. Piano lessons in the morning, practice time in the afternoon and the ocean all day long-sounds like heaven.

I like just about all music from classical to Green Day. I especially like Tori Amos and old torch songs. I'm trying to figure out what to practice for the recital, still haven't decided.

The fuel used in the decent propulsion system acted like water when it froze. It expanded. When they landed the fuel started to freeze in the fuel line because it was kept at an very low temperature and the fear was that it would burst the line and the ship would explode. I was called into a room with the real higher ups at the company and, as the expert on the decent propulsion system, whether the heat soakback from the engine would unfreeze the line. I told them we had run tests and it the line would not rupture. I actually saw a piece on this whole incident on the History Channel.

I've really enjoyed everyone's posts. Thank you! Quite a few psychologists out here =) Well, I'm trying to become one, too. I'm currently a graduate student of psychology. I have the best husband in the world and the cutest little girl whose going to turn one soon. I'm a christian and I love Jesus I'm 24 years old. I've always wanted to play the piano - it's been a magnet - and now I finally (2 years ago)found a very good teacher and have been practising regularily (it's not work, it's pleasure - like for almost everyone here). I started to tinkle (spelling?) on the piano at 17 though. I've been singing my whole life. I'm one of those who live outside the US - I'm from a small country Estonia. We have our own very beautiful language.Thank you for making this forum a good place to come! (Sometimes I escape here after reading too many bad news from the online news)

Awesome thread! It's a treat to learn more about the folks who help me get through the slow spots in my day!

I'm 38, a quality engineer-recently-turned-plastics engineer, and rolling on a midlife crisis like a dog on a dead thing. My stretch goal is to retire from the automotive industry at the end of the year, and leap off the cliff into my second career as a free-lance writer. I've been taking some courses in writing, and have been emboldened by instructors telling me that by George, I might actually have some serious talent.

This declaration to change careers has been met with tempered support by family and friends, who have never (and I do mean never) witnessed me do anything even remotely risky in my entire life. They knew something weird was going on when I up and bought a piano, and started lessons again late last year (Kawai 506 in oak - great middle-of-the-road affordable upright).

I've been married for 16 years, and have a totally normal, wonderful 6 year old boy, an aging German Shorthair, and a house that could star in "Money Pit 2". I love good single malt scotches, great food, and colored gemstones.

s54mo827
1000 Post Club Member
Registered: 12/12/05
Posts: 1231
Loc: New York

Quote:

Originally posted by Margareth:I'm a christian and I love Jesus

Gots to stick up for the Lord. I'm born again and a Christian, too. Jesus is my light - who teaches me to Love the world - and so this all helps and it's all great! He's my rock when the world gets too much (you know)?

In all honestly, I may have hesitated an instant to post, but my gut instinct got the best of me... and only good can come of it...blessings on ALL!

Peace. Sharon

....stretch our souls. Risk is the means by which we do that stretching.

I'm 26, an industrial engineer from Panama but I've been living in New Jersey for a over 2 years. I came here on a student VISA to get a master's degree and now that I'm done with my studies I'm looking for a job that will sponsor me a work visa so I can stay over here.

Besides from playing the piano, I enjoy working out, sports (especially basketball) and playing chess and I think I'm pretty good at all these things.

Not really a beginner, but neither a concert pianist or an advanced piano player. I learned how to play the piano when I was a little kid but never had any lessons, and rarely ever practiced. Then when I was a teenager I had a few lessons (like 4) that helped me with the tempo and understanding dynamics and such. So I come here to get help for technical things I didn't have a chance to learn.

I didn't play the piano for over 6 years until october '05, and now I try to play at least an hour a day. I've got quite a few good pieces/songs in my repertoire including classic music and a few popular tunes. Hope to get into Jazz one day.

I'm kind of an imposter. I'm not a beginner but love to jump into this forum coz you are all so warm and inviting.... and I find I can help sometimes:)

Born in Hawaii, lived first three years in Edinburgh, scotland where my mum is from, then moved to a city about an hour south of Sydney, Australia.I'm 23, female and currently live in the stix in northern NSW (Australia). I have played the violin since I was 8 and the piano since I was 13 (wow.. that long?! I surprised myself)

I studied five years at uni in a BMus/ BEd course and am now a music teacher/in built releif/ PE!!(I am the laziest person I know)I am in my second year of teaching and loving it.

I love dogs and own two naughty ones of my own - an Irish setter and a mongrel (dingo x alsation)

Favourite music is Summer by Vivaldi and Summertime by Gershwin.... oooh and Rustle of Spring by Sinding (I sense a theme here)

and some current news.... I am just getting back into teaching classes as I have had a week and a half off due to having all of my wisdom teeth removed... it's really hard and I almost didn't make it on time to school this morning

It's been cool learning about you all

_________________________
"Work hard and strive to reach the power of bland"

Hi everyone, glad to get a little insight on you all. My name's Steve, and I'm 45, and deliver to Mac Donalds stores. I quit palying guitar alltogether six years ago, after three years of classical lessons and another five or so noodeling on an electric. Now Im over whatever demons held me back from my love of music, and always felt the piano was way more pure. Ive been married 17 years, we have a gifted 12 year old daughter and two daughters out of the house from her privous marriage, and from them have two beautiful grandsons, 2 and 8 months. I just bought a P-90 and basically just want to get playing, not sure what direction to go yet, just want to read and play all the notes then find a good teacher who will show me classical as well as rock. whithin two years I'll probably buy a real piano, Kawai or Yamaha upright, or wife permitting a baby G.

Since 1996, I've been living in Japan, where I teach English as a second language (I'm a US citizen.) I started piano in 1999, right after I got married. Poor Mr ShiroKuro, he had no idea what he was getting himself into when he agreed to my first piano purchase! I started with a Yamaha digital and a year later moved up to a Yamaha acoustic upright. My dream is to have a grand, but we need to move before that will be possible!

Most people in my family are musical and many play an instrument, so I grew up surrounded by music. I used to love singing with my mother while she played guitar. I played clarinet and guitar (classical and acoustic) in the past, but always wanted to play piano, so now it feels like I'm living out a long-cherished but never-realized dream.

Since I started playing piano here in Japan, I've always learned most piano-related stuff in Japanese. So I was very happy to find PW and this forum, and to finally have some English-speaking friends to talk-piano with. This site, and the WTF site, have been extremely helpful in my piano study, and also are just fun places to be! :3hearts: